Shortage of handicapped spaces in NH possible in near future

New Hampshire ranks right near the top when it comes to the number of handicapped parking placards issued to residents per capita, and that is leading to concern of a future shortage of handicapped parking spaces.

This is especially true in the middle of the fast-paced holiday hustle, during which there can be a race to grab any available handicapped parking space.

Drivers with plates and placards that allow them to park in accessible spaces say they often have a hard time finding a space. And it's made worse when drivers without the placards take the spots.

"There are some who do not have a handicapped certificate, and they do take them," said Betty Natti, of Pembroke, as she waited for a space near a store entrance.

On a recent day at a local shopping center, News 9 watched as drivers with handicapped parking permits pulled into the only open spaces farther from the store entrance.

In one case, two cars squeezed into a handicapped-accessible spot made for one. Daphne Crane, of Concord, who has a handicapped placard, had to squeeze into her driver's seat.

"I didn't do this," she said, referring to the other car in the spot. "I don't even know if this person is legally parked."

Caretakers driving people with disabilities to stores said it can be frustrating.

"I have a woman in a wheelchair, and it's hard sometimes," said Shelley Dains, of Concord. "I have to double park, and then people leave me nasty notes saying, 'You're double parked. Why do you have to double park in parking spaces?' It's because I have to get her in and out of the wheelchair."

Officer Kate Kelleher of Concord Parking Enforcement said that in her nine years on the job, she has seen many violations of the handicapped parking codes.

"Every time I walk by one of the handicapped spots, you look to see whether they have a handicapped plate or valid placard," she said. "Especially around the holidays, when people are running in and out of the stores and there's not enough parking and they just want to run in and grab something, we'll find more violations."

There is also more competition for the available spaces. Five years ago, New Hampshire had about 79,000 permanent handicapped placards issued. With an aging population, that has grown to more than 92,000 in five years.

This doesn't include temporary placards issued by doctors, which are good for six months.

David Florence, parking supervisor for the Concord Police Department, said many communities across New Hampshire are considering changes to handicapped parking, such as increasing the fine of $250 for illegally parking in a space or the $100 fine for parking in the striped disabled access area.

While most communities offer free handicapped parking with no time limit, that's changing in a few cities. Manchester allows four hours at meters and 24 hours in handicapped spaces. Keene gives placard-displaying cars three hours in two-hour zones.

The goal is to cycle drivers in and out of the available spots.

"There's no disincentive to have a disabled placard, and I think some of it's driven by the sheer fact that it's free, and if you don't have to pay to park and you have a placard, why not use it?" Florence said.

The city of Concord wants to revamp its downtown area, essentially making nearly every spot handicapped-accessible. Smoothing over the double-step curb is expected to make a big difference.

"It's not very convenient for someone with a disability to get up these two steps," Kelleher said.

"I determine the number of parking spaces that are required by the use of the development, and based on that number, we'll figure out how many spaces we need to have as a minimum for (Americans with Disabilities Act) spaces, and we'll put those spaces as close to the front door as we can."

Rice said that unless more handicapped spaces are requested, developers follow the formula created by the ADA, which calls for four handicapped spots in a 100-space parking lot. The percentage shrinks as the lot gets bigger, so a 1,000-space lot requires 20 handicapped spots.

With more people applying for and displaying the blue-and-white placards, disabled drivers said they just want others drivers to think about who really needs those spots.

"I'm quite disabled," Crane said. "I have cancer. I'm undergoing chemotherapy. I have a broken ankle, which I have a brace on."

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